This invention concerns the absorption of radiation, such as x-ray radiation, using a flexible shield. Particularly, the invention is concerned with a lightweight, very thin and flexible non-lead radiation shield, worn against a patient while radiation therapy is administered internally to the patient, and with protection against the effects of backscatter radiation on the patient.
Shields for protection of patients and medical workers against excessive doses of radiation, particularly in dentists' offices and other x-ray imaging or therapy situations, are well known. Heavy and relatively stiff lead shields have been typical for this purpose.
Shields of lighter weight and greater flexibility have also been used. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,938,233, 6,048,379 and 6,674,087 disclose various radiation shields, some of which employ tungsten or other heavy metal particles suspended in a polymeric flexible medium, such as silicone.
Experimental results have indicated that radiation at, for example, 50 kVp, absorbed in a shield formed of such heavy metal particles, generates an undesirable backscattered radiation dose. For the situation where radiation is administered from a source within the patient, the backscattered radiation dose is absorbed in adjacent tissue, particularly the patient's skin adjacent to the shield. The current disclosure includes improvements to the flexible absorber design to minimize this undesirable and potentially damaging effect.